I don't know if you've read the beginning statement. I said I love me some batum. What I'm questioning why he gets a pass? What do you think?
To hopefully see development in his ball-handling and not just chucking up 3's all the time. He's shot more 3's than ever this year. I hope people now see it's just the way he plays and not McMillan's fault.
My personal opinion (which isn't worth much, I know) start a thread saying "Aldrdige has quit" and your going to get a lot of hostility and name calling in a thread. I know the tone of the thread starting to ask a more reasonable "if Aldrdige was overrated", but the title of the thread is there and brings out the emotional side of fans. That what I think . . .
No I don't think he has gotten a free pass on this board. But I don't think anyone gets a free pass on this board as I can probably find posters saying bad things and pointing out weaknesses about each player. (Maybe Lillard). Batum has improved this year and I'm guessing has been asked to try and be a distributor this year. I think Batum was paid with the idea that he would continue to improve over the next few years, not to come in and be the #2 option right away. The only reason I responded to your post was you said Batum is paid to be the #2 option, and I don't think so.
Maybe that's because it's accompanied by people bashing the player himself. I'm not opposed to trading Aldridge if the right deal came along, but some people are talk about Aldridge like he's a negative for the team. It's hysterical.
They should. But fans don't always think rationale when it comes to their team. Tell a Blazer fan that their all star has quit on them and I'm guessing responses in that thread will be more heated. But again, just a theory to try to explain the hostility that seems to be in this thread. And yes, they should address the author, but that author will tell them to fuck off . . . so better to attack someone else.
So two games defines his whole season? He's averaging more assists, yes, but that has a lot to do with Stott's offense and player movement and finding open players. It's not like Batum is in control of the whole offense like LeBron and Rondo are and putting up triple-doubles.
Yeah, but there was equal hostility in the Roy/Lillard thread. It was the same kind of response when Roy was playing. Some fans will defend a player until the day they die. That's just how it is.
Well if Batum's increase in assists is because Stott's offense creates more assist, then Hickson and Adrdige aren't understanding Stott's offense as they are averaging about the same number of assists from last year. Matthews has increase his assist total by about 1 to 2.8/game, so maybe he gets the offense for about half the game.
So you think that his two triple doubles don't mean anything? I think the fact that he has two more triple doubles this year than he had in the entire 3.5 years that McMillan coached him shows that he's improving. That's all that I ask for from him. I want him to keep improving his game. I think he's banged up, I think his shooting is suffering from a wrist injury, and he looks different than he did at the beginning of the year. I would trade Batum tomorrow if the right deal came along. Is that what you wanted to hear? I don't care if it's Aldridge, Batum, or even Lillard. If someone offered us Irving for Lillard, I would do it. I just think that Aldridge has the most value, and if we could turn him into two or three pieces that fill positions of need, that would be something I'd look at. We need more scoring - IE Redick We need a defensive center - IE Sanders We would need someone to replace Aldridge - IE Jefferson The only way I see us making it out of the first round is either with a much more talented overall team, or with a superstar. Do we have a superstar?
